[Do you live in the San Diego or DC area? If so, please read to the bottom of this post for some action you can take this weekend to help a Democrat win a seat in Congress...]
The Bush Administration has 36 events planned for discussion of the American economy today — an economy that many analysts are saying is cooling, which isn’t exactly a big hoo-rah for the Bush Administration. So, I’m guessing today’s events will be all about the tap dance, and not so much on the honest facts that most Americans are dealing with these days: the high cost of filling up their gas tank; the increased cost of utility bills; paying a lot more for groceries and goods as the cost of transportation gets passed on to consumers; the increases in medical and pharmaceutical expenses – especially if you are a senior citizen and/or on a fixed income; the rapidly increasing cost of a college education; and on and on.
Here are a few items that I bet they won’t be discussing at the White House today. Let’s call this part of the Bush Legacy thus far:
Health care, gas, housing and college costs have risen since President Bush took office as the purchasing power of paychecks drop.
Median family income has dropped every year of the Bush Administration. [Census, BLS]
The typical family is paying $1,200 more a year for health insurance. [KFF, 2005]
College tuition has gone up about 40 percent in real terms. [College Board, 2005]
Gas prices have doubled to nearly $3.00 a gallon. [Energy Information Administration, 5/06]
Housing is the least affordable it has been in 14 years. [U.S. Census]
Real wages have been flat since 2001, while the cost of families’ big-ticket items (medical care, housing, food, cars and household operations) rose 11 percent. [Center for American Progress, 5/06]
Young families face huge challenges – college debt, jobs without good benefits, and rising interest rates.
The typical student graduates from college with $17,500 in debt. [College Board, 9/05]
Median household debt has climbed 34 percent to $55,300 in 2004. [Federal Reserve Board, 2/06]
The Federal Reserve interest rate has climbed to the highest level in five years – pinching the pocketbooks of families with credit card debt, car loans, and adjustable rate mortgages.
The number of people in employer-sponsored retirement plans dropped from 50 percent to 48 percent from 2001 to 2004, and about 3.7 million employees have lost employer-provided health insurance since 2000. [Congressional Research Service, 5/06; CPS, 8/05]
Republicans’ record budget deficits are out of control and driving our country deeper into debt to foreign investors and governments, as more American jobs are being shipped overseas.
Republicans have turned President Clinton’s projected 10-year $5.6 billion surplus into a $3.2 trillion deficit.
America has accumulated more debt to foreigners, nearly $1.1 trillion, than this country had accumulated in its first 224 years. [Treasury Department, 12/05]
Interest payments are growing faster than all other items in the Bush Administration budget. America’s total debt has climbed by nearly 50 percent to nearly $9 trillion.
Republicans voted to protect more than $5 billion in oil industry giveaways.
In most recent Republican tax bill, most middle-class families will receive less than $30 from any tax relief, while the average tax cut for millionaires is about $43,000.
Under President Clinton, all families prospered; they saw their income grow, opportunities for good-paying jobs increase, and a better standard of living:
In the Clinton years, nearly 23 million new jobs were created (or 237,000 per month).
In the Clinton years, nearly 23 million new jobs were created (or 237,000 per month).
Only 42,000 jobs per month have been created and 2.9 million manufacturing jobs lost under the Bush Administration
In the Clinton years, America had five years of real wage growth, and middle-income families saw their incomes grow 10 percent in real terms.
The income for middle-class families has dropped $1,669 or nearly 4 percent under the Bush Administration.
I got these numbers from Nancy Pelosi’s office. And this handy chart, which really puts the whole Bush economy into stark perspective, doesn’t it?
The Democratic leadership in both houses of Congress has been trying to push more news coverage on real people’s problems in our country — because, at the heart of it all, that ought to matter to elected officials. You know, real people, real problems, practical solutions…really governing for a change.
The corporate media hasn’t been giving it much play, but I think it’s important because, well, we’re all real people trying to make ends meet and…damn it…our concerns ought to be their concerns as well. (Okay, sure, this may be a quaint little notion, given that I don’t have my own PAC and bribery fundraising arm and all, but call me old-fashioned for thinking that the little guy counts for a whole lot, too.)
Good governance is more than just CYA — someone ought to let George Bush in on that little secret.
And no amount of public CYA news events can mask the fact that real people are having trouble making ends meet these days. George Bush may not be seeing the effects of the economic squeeze among his "Ranger" buddies, but I’m seeing it every day in my neighborhood and around town, and I’m sure a lot of you are seeing (and feeling) it as well. Everything from rising interest rates on home mortgages to the high cost of gas and other energy needs to trying to decide between feeding your family and getting needed medication — and a lot of this increase in costs, especially in oil prices, comes from the continued instability in the Middle East. (Hello, Iraq…)
The choices that the Bush Administration and the Rubber Stamp Republican Congress make have consequences. And a lot of average Americans are paying the price for those bad decisions.
When you add in the balooning deficit, the increased borrowing from foreign lenders, the weakening dollar, and the overall feeling of unease with the direction the US has been taking the past few years, it doesn’t add up to the rosy scenario that the Bush White House keeps trying to pimp out — and no amount of mood lighting and beer goggles is going to make this mess look better.
Oh, and one more little item that you can add to the "more for my peeps and cronies" list: the NYTimes reports that the new Treasury Secretary nominee Henry Paulson could save himself a whopping $48 million in capital gains taxes on investments because of a little-known provision dealing with conflict-of-interest sales when taking a government job. I can see the rationale for such a provision, but wouldn’t you think the Administration would disclose this sort of thing up front instead of trying to keep it under the rug?
What can you do? Well, one thing is to put boots on the ground to get Democrats elected to Congress so we can get some oversight for a change — something we sure as hell haven’t been getting from the CYA gang in the Rubber Stamp Republican Congress, which has been putting Republican party interests ahead of the nation.
The special election in the San Diego, California area will be held this coming Tuesday — and Francine Busby needs your help. If you live in the area and can volunteer this weekend, contact "Volunteer AT busbyforcongress DOT org" or call 760-479-0114. They need folks to man the phones, walk area in the district and distribute flyers and door hangers, and all sorts of other things, including giving rides to people on Tuesday to go and vote. Also, the DCCC is looking for DC-area based volunteers to make calls to San Diego Democrats on Monday evening and all day Tuesday. To sign up for Monday and/or Tuesday, contact our Assistant to the Chief Operating Officer, Kevin Lewis at "lewis AT dccc DOT org" or at 202-741-1881.
Every little bit helps, folks, and Busby is very close to pulling off a miracle in a district that was solid red only a few short months ago. I don’t ask for this sort of thing from our readers all that often, but if you can help in any way, please do — this could put us one member closer to a Democratic Majority in the House, and it would be one hell of an energizer for the whole party if we pull this off. Let’s get to work…
UPDATE: DavidNYC at SwingState has more details on Get Out The Vote work in CA-50.
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Yippeee, thats 3.
Post # 0, that is.
And Yes,*ilson, I am easily entertained. *g*
frorth?
I couldn’t help myself with this picture. It gave me the giggles. (Clearly, I am in dire need of more sleep or something…)
Bustedknuckles @ 3: Just how did your knuckles get busted? ;-)
Peterr, 25 Years as a mechanic.A handy tip, Don’t buy cheap tools.
Good post, Redd. I often wonder how they hide the REAL numbers behind inflation. I remember those so-called high inflation mid-to-late-seventies. It feels the same way now!
My wife and I are fortunate in that we’re able to pay for our kids’ college fees – so far. But more than a few friends are struggling. I talk to ex-college students of mine who have had to drop out because neither they nor their parents can afford the fees and for one reason or another, can’t get a student loan.
OT….Raw Story has these horrendous photos of dead and decaying children from Iraq….I forced myself to look at them, There are absolutely no words for this…….I can’t stop weeping, what are we going to do?… this administration is so dark and evil, ….I just don’t know what to say!
Another Democratic Talking Point:
Bush is doing a heckava job for the tuxedo economy — at the expense of the T-shirt economy.
Doesn’t Rove want the GOP to campaign on the strength of the economy for 2006?
Christy,
You could use a whole case of butt crack spackle on that crew.
Do you know what’s involved in making those calls? I do want to help however I can, but since I have an intense disliking of telemarketing and other kinds of unsolicited calls this wouldn’t be my first choice for volunteering.
ps, yes, the pic is funny ;p
I’ve got this business I attempt to run every day: three vans, two bobtails, and a tractor trailer. Mucho diesel, and my costs are up significantly. Labor costs are even, but worker’s comp is higher, no matter what you read in the papers (not sure where the CA state insurance folks are getting their numbers, but it’s not from my bills.) EVERYTHING I buy to use or resell is going up; it has to because of diesel costs. Meanwhile all the businesses I serve are in the same boat and are trying to cut costs where they can, which means I lose a little business. We, small and large business, are in the same frigging boat and it’s taking on more water all the time.
I’m unclear exactly how a Democratic government would change the direction of the economy, and I don’t trust the mainstream Dems to put small business concerns out in front of major corporate interests, but as I tell all my customers, at least we might hear the truth!
Median household debt has climbed 34 percent to $55,300 in 2004. [Federal Reserve Board, 2/06]
Do we know what debt is included in this figure? Does it include car loans, mortgages, and everything else? Or is it more “discretionary”?
grrtigger at 12 — I don’t know exactly what they have in mind for these particular calls. The ones I did for the Kerry campaign were reminders to registered Dems to go vote, and I’d suspect that’s what these would be considering they are planned for Monday and Tuesday. But if you call the number for the DC office, they can give you the scoop, I’m sure. :)
Franco, I think you said it: this administration is EVIL. I think the folks on FDL tend to snark so much because it’s our defense—if we stopped laughing at the dark humor, we’d never stop crying.
Christy, if you want some purty pictures to peruse, try this freshwater aquarium fish site for killifish:
http://www.aka.org/aka/
Nice post. The administration’s sales-pitching on the economy is so vapid and meaningless to about 90% of the population that it is amazing that they think it is worth their time to do it. It gives you a good picture of exactly how many things they actually feel that they have done a good job of, eh? The statistical arguments are so bizarre because there are ways to make any point if you select the statistics properly. One thing I know for sure is that lower-middle class folks are having a darned hard time finding a place to live. I also know that unskilled labor is not paid above the poverty level. The typical Republican response to this is that people should get more training and education. There will still be labor to do, you idiots!!! Arrrggghhhh!
Back to voter fraud, etc. from yesterday, here is my exchange with David Broder of the WaPo today:
We might be getting somewhere! Froomkin also picked up the Rolling Stone article, and more may follow.
I would urge everyone to notice that less and less credit will be given to brad and his gang as this story gets bigger. Does anyone have any realistic ideas about how to handle voter suppression and fraud in the upcoming elections? I’m going to write to Jimmy Carter and see what he suggests.
Please come down to the White House on Saturday for the Peace Festival, and on monday, to let GWB know that there are quite a few Americans who would prefer to keep prejudice out of our Constitution!!
peace,
jim
Franco -
US Military is officially stating those deaths were “within the rules of engagement”
http://abcnews.go.com/Internat…..id=2032795
LOL, here in downeast maine we call those peeking cracks “a deer isle smile”
love it, thanks for the laugh christy!
Bustednuckles 1 & 2
Yippeee, thats 3.
Post # 0, that is.
did you get a screen grab this time? have others experienced the mystical #0, or are you and I the only ones who have resisted the draw of the white light tunnel in an out-of-bloggy experience?
why does the picture remind me of Watergate? oh, yeah, plumbers….
The “happy talk” on the economy is deja vu all over again.
This is the SAME mistake his father made. It reinforces the opinion that Bush and the rest of the ruling elite are out of touch with the working folks.
They keep up with the happy talk while John Q. Public scales back on his vacation plans because of gas prices.
-GSD
cbl#20…thanks for the link, frankly, I am so upset right now, I don’t know what to think.
Pass the butt paste down here Bubba before my toast gets cold.
Good article, but when the first thing you see in the morning is that picture, the mind does some strange things like emit a hearty belly laugh-thanks for that.
Punaise,
I got a screen grab yesterday. I just don’t know what to do with it.Save it for ( here it comes)
Posteriority?
CBL,
Not to try to correct you, but I think that is ANOTHER alleged massacre that was being looked into by the US military.
There are now 3 separate incidents of similar allegations that are roiling Iraq.
What a travesty.
-GSD
At least Instapundouche Glenn Reynolds is linking to quotes stating that the “the lefties keep pusing us and the the righties and the military will lash back at them”…because “we have all the guns”.
Fightin’ words:
From Dana Milbank today:
I’ll just tee that one up for y’all.
peace,
jim
Enough with the wise cracks.
Please.
-GSD
grrtiger @ 13
Making the calls does really suck, and I hate unsolicited calls too, but the people who are going to be annoyed are the ones that probably won’t vote for Busby anyway. Most progressives realize the importance of your action and will appreciate the reminder and thank you for your efforts.
Go Francine !
I sent froomkin a note last nite asking him to link the rolling stone vote fraud article:
I basically put in the subject line: are you part of the MSM blackout?
I’m glad he ran it and will send him an attaboy.
Let’s send out a little Froomkin love and FDL also, thanks for the post.
Republicans have turned President Clinton’s projected 10-year $5.6 billion surplus into a $3.2 trillion deficit.
Correction, that should be a $5.6 trillion surplus. Now pissed away on multimillionaires’ beach houses and into the bloodied sands of Iraq.
My son is going to looooove this picture!
I can testify to several of the items on your list:
-My husband owns a manufacturing business; for 32 years he and his dad put their hearts and souls into it. They make custom gaskets and seals and O-rings. Our customer base is all industries – aerospace, medical, not-so-much-auto, food, office supplies, computers, and much more.
Then came outsourcing and cheap China labor. For a few years, about 10 years ago, having your parts made overseas was kinda risky. Some of our bigger customers tried it and then came back. One had deadlines and dropdeadlines for delivering parts, but they were almost always rejected by QC and then the whole timeline got thrown out the window. But then China got good at it and the cost of petroleum shot up (bet you thought rubber was made out of, um, rubber, eh? It’s mostly petrochemicals these days) et voila – our income was down 60% last year and shows no signs of returning.
- because of that, we had to give up our personal health insurance. While the company doesn’t offer health insurance per se, we have a private arrangement with the local health clinic so our employees make a co-pay and we do the rest. It doesn’t extend to management or the owners. We’ve been paying almost $600/month for a family of three, just can’t do it anymore.
- The pension plan is unfunded. No more money. What a joke.
We are both in our 50’s and have a young child and are very worried about our futures.
Bring It On, Mr. Bush. I’d itchin’ to rumble.
GSD
Literal lol.
“Horrific images of Iraqi adults and children have fueled new allegations that U.S. troops killed civilians in the Iraqi town of Ishaqi. But ABC News has learned military officials have completed their investigation and concluded U.S. forces followed the rules of engagement.”
The US military said the incident in “Ishaqi” was within the rules of engagement. The “Haditha” inquiry is still ongoing.
-GSD
Great topic/great post. yesterday on NPR Talk of the Nation there was a discussion about the booming job market for new college graduates. Happy-face guest was calling it the best market in years, and wanne-be-folksy could-you-be-any-more-middle-of-the-road host Neil Conen (sp?) was playing right along. Only problem, most of the callers were reciting their difficulties in getting work…. ooops….
Christy, I would be shocked – shocked! – if Bush even knows what governance is. For him, it’s one long campaign, directed at the loyal, which serves no purpose other than to massage his clearly needy ego, and allow him to continue the charade that he is beloved. Blech.
The only “real people” he seems to be in touch with are those who populate the boardrooms and penthouse offices of the major corporations; the rest of us are just so much clutter on the path that leads to the bags and bags of cash they all seem to need so much of.
That list above is a multi-count indictment of the failure of governance; I imagine jury after jury of “real Americans” would not hesitate to find Bush and his ilk guilty on all counts.
Since I’m on an “I don’t get it” kick today, another thing I don’t get is who, exactly, Bush thinks he’s kidding with his “the economy is going gangbusters” meme, other than those with AGI in the top 1 or 2%. Heck, my family would not be considered to be doing badly, but we’re feeling the squeeze. Health insurance, college tuition (gotta love those FAFSA formulas that crank out an expected family contribution that always makes me say, “for crying out loud, if we could contribute that much, we wouldn’t be looking for financial aid, you morons!”), electricty, gasoline, food (there’s a reason poor people eat the way they do – fruits and vegetables are expensive!). We look at our 401(k)s, and wonder when we’ll be able to retire with some expectation of being able to relax and enjoy life. That’s what real people are doing, and I don’t think Bush has a clue about that or much of anything else.
Frankly, the only “terrors” I have any real concern about are financial terror – the kind where I live in fear of some major life event that would send us into the chasm of financial ruin – and constitutional terror – the kind where I fear the destruction of our rights and the end of our privacy.
Bush wants to fight a war on terror? Then he should be working to ensure economic security for all of us, instead of just the few at the very top, and working to preserve the rights and principles that have allowed us to withstand all manner of threats.
End of rant.
More on the Republican civil war front. Kentucky Lt. Governor refuses to step down after being asked by Gov. Ernie “Multiple Indictments” Fletcher.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/200…..y_politics
-GSD
Obviously, statistics alone don’t paint the whole picture. But it depends on which statistics are used. What difference does it make that unemployment is about 4.7% and the economy grew at 3% last quarter when gasoline, home utilities, mortgages, school tuition and health care are way out of range for a growing majority of Americans – working Americans. Buying my own home has become nothing more than a fantasy.
*Bobby Kennedy on Thom Hatmann right now (Air America).
Busted 27 – bada -boom! you cheeky fellow. I’m way “behind”, shoulda seen that one coming from a mile away…
Good question about how to share the screen grab (jpg?). I suppose you could upload it to a photobucket or flickr site.
any advice, techies?
Busted — if you send me a copy of your elusive #0 screen grab, I’ll feature it as a graphic at some point for all to see. :)
Christy to the Redd’s-cue!
Christy – I seem to be stuck in moderation – must have used one of those “bad” words…
:-)
Since 1900, Democratic presidents have produced a 12.3 percent annual total return on the S&P 500, but Republicans only an 8 percent return. So much for the Repubs being better for the stock market.
Also real GDP growth since 1930 was 5.4 percent for Democratic presidents and 1.6 percent for Republicans. So much for the Repubs being better for the economy.
Now, why do we not hear the Dems scream about issues like this? Is it that they’re not screaming, or is it that the MSM is not reporting?
Susan:
I thought the Deer Isle Smile was the real estate agent’s grin after I forked over $1200 for a week-long cottage rental off of Perez Cross Rd.
Anne:
I just made a comment that’s also in “moderation.” The only bad word I used was “republican.”
oops. That’s Thom Hartmann.
punaise – I can’t stand Neil Konen! In fact, here in Seattle, listeners to our local NPR station rebelled so loudly and angrily when he became the Talk of the Nation host that KUOW took the show off the air. They just refused to cary it any more. That was about three years ago. We now get To The Point with Warren Olney instead (a good show).
Every once in a while, the public really does have some power over what goes on their media. Well, local media anyway.
Christy, Give me a sec. I am technically challenged.
GSD,
the article linked above is about the 11 murders in Ishaqi – US Military’s official conclusion is again, all occured “within the rules of engagement”
Maj. Gen. Caldwell is supposed to release a statement of same today, per ABC News
US Investigations -
Murder @ Haditha
Cover Up of Haditha
Ishaqi
and
???
Franco,
I learned from the Fallujah Willy-Pete story to never ever open anything raw story labels as ‘graphic’. sorry you are dealing with that pain
I was in moderation too. Must be cause I used the word “fantasy”?
*g*
How they Stole Ohio….AND HOW THEY’LL STEAL 2006 AND 08…
How They Stole Ohio
The GOP 4-step Recipe to ‘Blackwell’ the USA in 2008
Abracadabra: Three Million Votes Vanish
AN EXCLUSIVE BUZZFLASH GUEST CONTRIBUTION
by Greg Palast
[Heads up! Catch Robert Kennedy Jr., Mike Papantonio and Greg Palast this Saturday on Air America’s ‘Ring of Fire’ on the shoplifting of the last election . and the next one.]
This is a fact: On November 2, 2004, in the State of Ohio, 239,127 votes for President of the United States were dumped, rejected, blocked, lost and left to rot uncounted.
And not just anyone’s vote. Dive into the electoral dumpster and these “spoiled” votes have a very dark color indeed.
In another life, I taught statistics. And these statistics stank: the raw data tells us that if you are a Black voter, the chance of you losing your vote to technical errors in voting machinery is 900% higher than if you were a white voter.
Any guesses as to whom those African-Americans chose for president on those junked ballots? Check Ohio’s racial demographics, do the numbers, and there it is: Kerry won Ohio. And that, too, is a fact. A fact that could not get reported in the USA.
But the shoplifting of those votes in Ohio was just the tip of the theft-berg. November 2, 2004 was a national ballot-box bonfire. In total, over three million votes (3,600,380 to be exact) were cast — marked, punched, pulled — YET NEVER COUNTED. I’m not talking about the Ukraine or Uganda. I’m talking about the United States of America “with liberty and justice for all.”
…..
But they didn’t count them. And that was deliberate. It’s in the plan. It’s the program. And the program for 2008 is simple. Two million ballots were cast but not counted in the 2000 race. (Over half, 54%, were cast by African-Americans.) In 2004, the GOP kicked it up to THREE million. Get ready, these guys aim high: “four in ‘06″ and “five in ‘08″ looks to be their game plan.
http://www.buzzflash.com/contr…..06219.html
Bobby Kennedy’s voice is always so shaky. It makes me worry about him.
From Yahoo Finance….
President Party Months in Office Annualized Stock Return
Truman D 11/48-10/52 48 18.28%
Eisenh’r R 11/52-10/60 96 14.96%
Kennedy D 11/60-10/63 36 15.15%
Johnson D 11/63-10/68 60 10.39%
Nixon R 11/68-7/74 69 -1.32%
Ford R 8/74-10/76 27 17.21%
Carter D 11/76-10/80 48 11.04%
Reagan R 11/80-10/88 96 15.18%
Bush R 11/88-10/92 48 14.44%
Clinton D 11/92-10/00 96 19%
Bush, R 11/00-2/06 63 -0.92%
Average from 1948 to Feb. 2006
Democrat 15.26%
Republican 9.53%
Overall 100% 11.95%
The table tells the story. Since 1948, Republican Administrations have controlled the White House 57.2 percent of the time. But during the period that the GOP was in office, stock returns have averaged only 9.53 percent per year, while under Democratic administrations, stocks returned 15.25 percent per year, more than five percentage points higher.
Sorry. I accidently clipped the “advertisement” from the Yahoo article. My apologies.
ralphbon @ 45
ouch! that hurts. i couldn’t afford to vacation here, but fortunately can afford to live here.
no, i think that real estate agent was probably smirking not smiling.
Sonate at 55 — no problem, I fixed it. Ahhh, behold the power of the trex… *g*
shoephone @ 53
I’ve wondered too … anybody know if bobby is okay, i’ve thought maybe it’s parkinsons. don’t want to invade the guy’s privacy but have been curious. simply hoping he’s okay …don’t want to lose another one of those guys.
shoephone 48 – good for you all. I don’t go so far as detesting Konen, finding him clueless rather than evil. Bit of a tin ear, too.
I miss Ray Suarez in that job (Lehrer News Hour has sucked the life out of him – he was an excellent, knowledgable host on TOTN for many years).
Fues Fission 60:
Anyone who know GSD knows that his remark was a tongue in cheek….ewwwww, that doesn’t sound quite right
RFKennedy, Jr’s voice
>>>>>>>>>
I was wondering the same thing. Here’s what I found:
Robert F, Kennedy suffers from a vocal disorder known as spasmodic dysphonia. 15,5500 people in this country are afflicted with the condition.
The voice disorder gives a strained, broken or sometimes breathy tone to people who have the condition, who include Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and National Public Radio’s Diane Rehm.
With spasmodic dysphonia, which is caused by the involuntary movement of muscles in the larynx, Botox injections can relax those muscles in the same way it relaxes the muscles in the furrowed foreheads of those who use it for cosmetic reasons.
http://dragonballyee.blogs.com…..enned.html
Punaise,
You are the master.
‘moi’, auusi!
thanks angie your 62
Susan:
Do hope to make it back to Deer Isle, although probably not this summer, with our baby logistics and all. Could go for a lobster roll right now.
French spellcheck: auusi = aussi (”too, also”)
It still is, “It’s the economy, stupid!”
These price increases are hitting the poor and middle class very, very hard. And I think it is finally sinking in that very few people are actually seeing any benefit from the tax cuts.
But the Dems need to keep repeating the sound bites, in unison, time after time, after time.
O.K. Christy,I sent today’s and yesterday’s screen grab of the elusive #0 post.
“Deer, Isle be back in a while”
(leaves to buy cigarettes
never to return)
OK, back to work/crawling under rock now
only news of a Fitz presser could bring me out!
Aussie = resident of Australia
I just wanted to say 10 year economic projections are worthless. I agree Clinton did better with the economy than Bush by lightyears but these projections are based on fairly limited and dubious assumptions (growth rates, taxing policies, growth in spending, absence of supplementals) and, of course, they act as if Social Security borrowing is revenue.
WAussie = pResident of US
Punaise,
That “tongue in cheek” crack left a bad taste in my mouth.
-GSD
Many Americans are getting into arrears on their debt payments. Some are even scraping the bottom. Butt you already knew that.
always wash the salad before you toss it !
Christy -
crystal clear post – just got back from the local family hang out (which will be packed tonight!) where the owner (transplanted yankee librul) agreed to hang it on the community message board – safe from fundie mischief behind glass
Friday night talk ALWAYS gets around to the “Why are they sooo busy telling us the economy is booming, and yet ol Dave, the insurance guy is having to deliver pizzas every week end ?”
Ed*ard Teller , punaise.. and angie
On previous post “constitutional disconnect” you asked me a question or made a comment regarding my daughter and those “on campus visits” she received from g-agents…
sorry for no response… been away from computer for while… just catching up now.
I’d love to share the story of what went down and how she handled it, funny, informative and chilling at the same time….buts it kinda long and wouldn’t be right for me to post it here….and yes you did not mis-read she is only 15 and a junior in college.
You may email me
@satphonenow.com
Mumero 60,
I wasn’t taking offense but thanks, we all more or less be brothers and sisters in crime so to speak but we aren’t the perps.
Mumero read numero he he
Sooooo riiiiiichly OT:
“Republican Jim Galley, who is running for Congress as a “pro-traditional family” candidate, was married to two women at the same time, defaulted on his child support payments and has been accused of abuse by one of his ex-wives. … ”
http://www.signonsandiego.com/…..alley.html
O/T a little chuckle du jour
‘Values’ Candidate a Bigamist, Alleged Abuser and Deadbeat Dad -
http://www.rawstory.com/news/2….._0602.html
*ilson46201
That was wrong on so many levels. Love it!
lotuslander -
of course we posted b/c it was sooo shocking he was a Republican – lol
Yeah, and you owe me a Coke, btw.
ralphbon @ 66
It is a beautiful spot, although you wouldn’t want to be here now. The black flies are mighty hungry and plentiful. dang things, florida has its gators and we’ve got the flies, fortunately they have a shorter life span then them there gators.
living in a community that is mostly reliant on tourism, the economy is always an issue. people complain about gas prices but the war is far more costly. it’s just that the cost of gas comes right out of their pockets, the bill for the war is deferred and will eventually be reflected in less visible ways.
we’ve also seen fewer foreign visitors since 2003. local hotel owners claim that their foreign business is down by 30%.
If fewer tourists are visiting it has a donino effect -we all feel it – retail, restaurant, fisher and lobstermen, and lots of middle and working class folks.
Meanwhile, sheesh, if I can’t have a Rove indictment today, can I at least have an outed Leopold source or two to play with?
The fighting 51st includes the the lovely city of Chula Vista, the Louis Vitton capital of the world!
Instead of a coke, how about a nice piece of the pie that the crack team pictured above seems to be enjoying?
Here’s a spewer too via raw story:
>>>>>>>>>>>>
PARSHALL: Senator, you have said this before and I take great comfort from it. Whether or not we get the two thirds we need to get this [Federal Marriage Amendment] moving in the Senate, we win regardless. Every time we have this discussion, every time we speak back to the culture, the importance of the primacy of marriage as it was originally defined as between a man and a woman — that’s a winning posture.
SANTORUM: It is. If you think about it, Janet, from everything from Brokeback Mountain to, you know, all the TV shows that you see promoting and affirming alternative lifestyles — I guess to put it nicely — you would think that the culture would eventually just move in the other direction. But I think these kind of debates are the chance for a public discourse to counter what Hollywood is purveying to our young people. Not just what Hollywood is purveying to young people, to all people. And it’s an opportunity for us to get beyond, you know, ‘We should treat everybody nicely.’ I’m for treating everybody nicely, but that doesn’t mean that we need to change the law to recognize a form of marriage that is harmful to our country.
PARSHALL: Mm hmm.
>>>>>>>>
blech– compassionate conservatism at its best.
Iraq now mired in endless Last Throes of atrocity, violence, and misery.
Solution?
A Constitutional Amendment banning gay marriage on the front burner.
It’s Hard Work, but GeeW is up to the task. Comforting.
As we know, I like to write about marketing and myth making, which, being omniscient, I think I know something about.
As much as I like talking points which highlight how the average American is being screwed by TEAM LOSER, there are, I believe, deeper marketing/mythological reasons why seemingly no-brainer economic points don’t resonate as they should with the vast majority of the public who they apply to.
Everything about the rise of TEAM LOSER is based on myths created and perpetuated by its marketing machine, and economic issues are no different. So, why would an average American believe the myths marketed by TEAM LOSER?
My starting point for this is that somewhere the idea that we are a nation of investors rather than a nation of workers took hold. The myth (and to a certain extent the truth) of America as the land of opportunity has long defined America, though traditionally it was that through hard work someone could, at a minimum, make a decent life for themselves and their family, fund a decent retirement and a better life for their children, and if they worked really hard, and were smart or lucky enough, and in the right field of endeavor, could make a great deal of money. But the key is that one accomplished those goals through work. If we return to Maslow, economic safety and membership were once found through work.
But the myth is no longer based on work; the myth is now based on investing. If you want even the minimum of the promise of America set forth in the preceding paragraph, you can’t get it through work, you can only get it through investing in markets (pick your market, any market). Economic safety and membership are now found through investing.
And if your economic well being is, allegedly, tied to investing rather than work, well, then you find safety and membership as an investor, at least in your own mind, rather than as a worker. And once you are an investor, you identify and support policies that other investors support, regardless of the reality that those policies don’t really support you. You buy into the idea of the primacy of markets, and tax cuts, and whatever is good for the market, including your earning less through work, is what wins the day, you support tax cuts, etc., etc.
And in creating the myth that we are all investors, Repugs get to market “wealth,” while Dems sell the reality of work and earning a decent wage. Which would you choose if you believed the myth? It doesn’t matter that the “wealth” isn’t there, at least for the majority of people, it just matters that the vast majority of people believe the relatively new myth of the American dream.
Unless and until Dems can pierce the myth of “wealth,” then all the talking points in the world no matter how telling and true, aren’t going to get far.
I actually have a lot more on this particular subject, but will spare you for now, even if some of you might actually want more.
new thread
“…a form of marriage that is harmful to our country.”
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahohohohohohohohohohohoheeheeheheeheeheeheheehawhawhawhawhawhawhaw!
Senator Sphinctorum, valiant warrior against the looming epidemic of Man-Dog Marriages.
Larry @ 77,
Thanks for responding.
The length of a good story never has held me back here, but the story sounds interesting. Sounds like your daughter is quite a prodigy!
OT,
They’ve been running a video feed of the Al Franken show live on C-SPAN 1 for awhile. Have they done this before or will they continue this at some time in the future – anybody know?
EPU at 11:13 a.m.
Bush likes to refer to this myth as “the ownership society.” I think he should start by taking ownership of some of his mistakes.
Well, EPU, it looks like we both managed to get EUP’d.
Do not know– it is unusual and did not hear any explanation, ET. I was used to seeing alternative radio shows aired prior to the election… not any other time.
“Every time we have this discussion, every time we speak back to the culture, the importance of the primacy of marriage as it was originally defined as between a man and a woman %u2014 that’s a winning posture.”
Maybe not…
snip
“I think they’re at the stage of diminishing returns for this, in part because there aren’t as many states this time around that have marriage ban proposals of one kind or another up on the ballot. Not like ‘04.”
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13100686/
These Constitutional Amendment proposals are put up simply as political campaigning props, period. Great for posturing, ‘cuz you know the probability of any passage and adoption is small, and way, way off in the future. Meanwhile you get to be “for” something that has no consequences now or soon.
angie #62 – thanks for info. I remember Diane Rhiem had surgery at least twice (or maybe it was “treatments”).
On my way to go see “An Inconvenient Truth”. Just opened today.
Re: The Bigamist
OMFG. Who would have married that loser at all?
You’re welcome and you are one lucky shoephone– it does not open here until June 30th– I kind of like the way it is rolling out across the country so people will keep talking. Please give us your thoughts on it!
“…honest facts”?
From this lot?
You’ve got be kidding!
EPU at 89 –
Excellent point about the paradigms of work vs. investment, and how the Repubs have framed themselves as the economically sexier party of rising to the top on the wave of the markets, with pundits like Neil Cavuto as their cheerleaders and champions.
Makes me think of the Enron movie’s depiction of the Portland Gas and Electric employee who plugged away in the field all his life–working to fulfill his dream–yet knowing that it wasn’t even his work per se that would get him there but his retirement portfolio tied to Enron stock, which… we know the end of that story.
There’s even a parallel between the whole “mark to-market” accounting fraud that shrouded Enron’s true numbers and the economic and foreign policy paradigm of this administration: “We’ll be greeted as liberators” and “the invasion will pay for itself” are the faux-future profits adverstised and booked in advance to convince everyone that America’s stock looks good. And this is exactly the way the Bushies continue to plug their economic numbers – by ignoring key realities, and undervaluing genuine work.
I’m a grad student who studies 8 hours a day in the libraries of a major ivy league institution.
I see 10 times as many cracks as that every single day from the young ladies — overweight or not — in low cut jeans.
Message to women everywhere: look at the picture. It’s gross, right? How about buying a bigger size of pants? Thanks from all of us.
The real agenda of the Bush Administration has been since day one to enrich the Bush family and their cronies. Gay marriage or porno are issues that are only used to excite Republican voters. Those issues are not to be ’solved’.
When Bush says that the tax cuts are working, he means that the Bush family trust is growing more than they ever imagined.
from billmon’s post: “The Gift of the Nile”
Fair enough.
Hate to quibble w/billmon, whose writing is both insightful and elegant, but it’s always struck me as an even bigger accidental quirk of geography (and even more fortuitous for its residents) that the warm waters of Gulf Stream flow northeast toward Europe.
Talk about an immense region being defined by geography. Consider: Madrid, Spain is roughly on the same parallel as Boston, Mass.
No Gulf Stream and its ameliorating effect upon the weather, and alla Europe ain’t ought but an ice-box.
Onna separate note, I very much look forward to billmon’s resumption of his regular political commentary gig, tho’ I confess I’ve enjoyed his Egyptian interlude. Along w/many here, I suspect, billmon and digby and this site, are three of my leading sources for commentary on politics.
Can’t really begrudge billmon his time away neither. Seems like he needs to slip away for a spell periodically, so’s he can reorient, recharge and come back w/even sharper acuity.
If you enjoy this sorta writing, here’re a coupla lovely bits of evocative imagery and insight from billmon’s dispatch of his train-trip from Cairo down the Nile to Luxor (scroll on by if no interest, course; promise not to make a habit of this post-length but wanted to share for any that somehow might notta stumbled onto billmon yet):
Median household debt has climbed 34 percent to $55,300 in 2004. [Federal Reserve Board, 2/06]
Do we know what debt is included in this figure? Does it include car loans, mortgages, and everything else? Or is it more “discretionary”?
EPU – After spending more time looking than I expected, I believe it includes all consumer debt servicing. It appears the FED uses it to calculate the DSR (Debt Service Ratio) and FOR (Financial Obliations Ratio).
From the Federal Reserve some explanation and links for deeper digging, but I’d say the short answer is “yes.”
Take a look at the income inequality stats by country on wikipedia. The US is right down there with the banana republics.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/L…..e_equality
EPU @ 91
Really really good post. I’ve felt the same way but you put it in an excellent frame. Congrats. I’ve often thought about the “American Dream.” It used to be to be able to make decent living free from the fear of an oppressive government, perhaps to establish yourself in a profession, or own a piece of land, a farm or a house, and to provide for your old age and the education of your children, who you hoped would do even better than you did. I always felt my father, who emigrated here from eastern Europe in 1917 penniless and ended up being an oral surgeon and university professor (NYU) was the embodiment of the American Dream. And, no, he never made a million dollars or anything close to it. Maybe that was partially because he devoted one day a week of his practice to working for free in a clinic that served the poor. He did it in recognition of all those who helped him when he was impoverished and without whom he would never have been able to go to college. Now it seems the “dream” is to make $10 million – at least, and screw everyone else.
Frankly, that’s corrupt and the sign of a decaying society.
Also this from Redd’s post:
“Housing is the least affordable it has been in 14 years. [U.S. Census]”
Ummm, 14 years ago. Let’s see, that would be ‘92 or if the numbers are a few months old, ‘91. What happened then in the housing market? How about a rather big bust. Here in California the median price of homes dropped 27% between ‘92 and ‘96 after peaking in ‘91. Didn’t recover until ‘98. We all know real estate, like most economic things, is cyclical. Does this tell us anything, you think?
I’m certain folks are getting tired of me constantly posting this one, but I feel so strongly that we can work our tails off (I did in ‘04) but if the election is rigged, we lose. Please…everyone who must vote on an electronic machine…request an absentee ballot (yeah, I’m very aware that these can be thrown out too, but I’m so enraged at what was ALLOWED to happen). Anyone have any better ideas??? p.s. Sorry I whined about ‘04, but I cried for FOUR DAYS!
Now we all know that the majority are actually liberals out there in the heartland can we have less bloviating on the subject from the sickening likes of David Brooks and Andrew Sullivan?
If there really was a majority for the fascist Bush in places like, say, Ohio he would have surely included it on his recent ‘ find-the-mojo’ tour wouldn’t he.
So MSM and lunar right instapundits just STFU already about the silent majority, ‘kay?